Petunia plant named ‘Petrowhi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Petrowhi’ characterized by its trailing, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit, freely branching habit, freely flowering habit, single flowers that are rose in color with a white throat, and good garden performance.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Petunia hybrida.

Varietal denomination: ‘Petrowhi’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant botanically known as Petunia hybrida and referred to by the cultivar name ‘Petrowhi’.

The new Petunia is the product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor in Enkhuizen, Netherlands. The new Petunia cultivar is freely flowering with trailing and spreading plant habit and attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Petunia originated from a cross-pollination made by the inventor in August 1999 of a proprietary selection of Petunia hybrida identified as code number ‘Y 942’ not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with a proprietary selection of Petunia hybrida identified as code number ‘X 910,’ not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The new Petunia was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny of the cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, Netherlands in June 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings since June 2000, in Enkhuizen, Netherlands has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar ‘Petrowhi’ have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Petrowhi.’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Petrowhi’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Trailing, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit     -   2. Freely branching habit     -   3. Freely flowering habit     -   4. Single flowers that are rose in color with a white throat     -   5. Good garden performance

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Enkhuizen, Netherlands, plants of the new Petunia differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristic:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia have rose flowers with a white         throat whereas the female selection has flowers with a         rose/purple throat.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Enkhuizen, Netherlands, plants of the new Petunia differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristic:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia and the male parent selection         differed in flower size. The flowers of the new Petunia are         smaller than the plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia ‘Petrowhi’ differ from the Petunia cultivar Surfinia Pastel 2000 (‘Sunpapi’), not patented, in flower color. The flower color of the new Petunia is darker (N74A) than the flowers of the Petunia cultivar Surfinia Pastel 2000 (73A). The new Petunia also differs from the Petunia cultivar Surfinia Pastel 2000 in petal shape. The flowers of the Petunia cultivar Surfinia Pastel 2000 are more pointed than that of the new Petunia.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The observations and measurements describe plants grown in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands., practice circumstances outdoor in windowboxes during the summer with day temperatures ranging from 18 to 25° C. and night temperatures ranging from 10 to 14° C. Plants used for the photographs and description were about 12 weeks from planting rooted cuttings.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   The plant:     -   -   Classification.—Botanical: Petunia hybrida.         -   Parentage.—Female parent: Proprietary selection of Petunia             hybrida identified as Code number ‘Y 942,’ not patented.             Male parent: Proprietary selection of Petunia hybrida             identified as code number ‘X 910,’ not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer and winter: About 12 days at             20° C.         -   Time to develop roots, summer R.—About 21 days at 20° C.         -   Time to develop roots, winter.—About 28 days at 16° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Annual flowering plant; indeterminate; initially             upright, then trailing and outwardly spreading; uniformly             mounded plant form. Freely branching habit; about ten basal             branches each with about five to seven lateral branches.             Pinching enhances development of lateral branches.         -   Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes, patio             containers, and landscape applications.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 50-60 cm.         -   Vigor.—Vigorous; rapid growth rate         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 35 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color:             144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate before             flowering; opposite after flowers develop; simple. Length:             About 3.5 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm. Shape: Broadly             lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely             pubescent; glandular. Venation pattern: Reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             137A. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface:             146A. Venation, lower surface: 146C. Petiole length: About             7 mm. Petiole diameter: About 1 mm. Petiole color, upper and             lower surfaces: 146C. Petiole texture: Sparsely pubescent. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single salverform flowers; flowers             face mostly upward and outward; axillary. Freely flowering             habit, about two to three open flowers and about three             flower buds per lateral branch at a time.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; long             flowering period, spring until frost in the autumn;             flowering continuous during this period. Plants start             flowering about eight weeks after planting rooted cuttings.             Flowers persistent.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven to ten days.         -   Fragrance.—Faint, sweet.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 5 cm. Tube length: About 3 cm.             Throat diameter, distal end: About 1.2 cm. Tube diameter,             proximal end: About 3 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Elongated oblong with ruffled apices. Color: 86A.         -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: About five petals fused in a             single whorl, funnelform. Length from throat: About             2-2.7 cm. Width: About 2.7 cm. Shape: Roughly fan-shaped.             Apex: Broadly abrupt. Margin: Entire, undulate. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, velvety.         -   Color.—When opening, upper surface: Darker than N74A,             venation 59B. When opening, lower surface: Greyer than 72B,             venation 176A. Fully opened, upper surface: N74A. Fully             opened, lower surface: 72B, venation 176A to 146D. Flower             throat (inside): Lighter than N155A. Flower tube (outside):             N78C. Venation, throat: N77A. Venation, tube: 146D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals             fused at base, star-shaped. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width:             About 3 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             surface: 143A. Color, lower surface: 143A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 1 mm. Angle:             About 45 to 60° from the stem. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens, quantity per flower: About             five. Anther shape: Ovoid. Anther size: About 1 mm by 1 mm.             Anther color: 151A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:             151A. Pistils, quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:             About 2 cm. Style length: About 1.7 cm. Style color: 144D.             Stigma shape: Anvil-shaped. Stigma color: 144A. Ovary color:             146B. Seed/fruit: Seed and/or fruit production has not been             observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance. Plants of the new Petunia have been     noted to tolerate rain, wind, and temperatures from 0 to 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Petrowhi’, as substantially illustrated and described herein. 